Warning: Don’t Harden Your Heart

Prayer – Lord, please give me wisdom and understanding that I would know just what to say to warn others…and hear them when they are warning me. I trust that these “warnings” come from You, Lord. Help us all to make good decisions—good choices—when it comes to being faithful to the end. 

Don't harden your heart like a prickly cactus.
Utah

Be careful then, dear brothers and sisters. Make sure that your own hearts are not evil and unbelieving, turning you away from the living God. You must warn each other every day, while it is still "today," so that none of you will be deceived by sin and hardened against God. For if we are faithful to the end, trusting God just as firmly as when we first believed, we will share in all that belongs to Christ. Remember what it says: "Today when you hear his voice, don't harden your hearts as Israel did when they rebelled." Hebrews 3:12-15 NLT

 

Meditate. Consider your choices.

 

Do you ever have an evil or unbelieving thought? I'm sure you do. I do—but then I turn that over to the Lord just as quick as I can. I don’t want that thought to go to my heart—and make its home there. And I don't want to be like a prickly pear cactus. 

 

The author of Hebrews so wisely advises us that when we hear God’s voice—whether it is from reading God’s word…or from remembering something we’ve been advised or warned about…we need to take heed and not harden our hearts in rebellion against God. Things may not be the way we want them—but rebellion didn’t help the Israelites and it won’t help us either. Choose to do things God’s way and we are told to warn others to do the same. Don’t be deceived by sin—or false teachings. Beware of hardening of your heart. God has a plan and as His beloved children we will one day rejoice with Him. There may be trials and temptations, but remember that God provides a way out of those temptations.

No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it. 1 Corinthians 10:13 NKJV

Don't selfishly harden your heart.

Verse of Salvation ~ Oh come, let us sing to the LORD! Let us shout joyfully to the Rock of our salvation. ... Oh come, let us worship and bow down; Let us kneel before the LORD our Maker. For He is our God, And we are the people of His pasture, And the sheep of His hand. Today, if you will hear His voice: "Do not harden your hearts, as in the rebellion, As in the day of trial in the wilderness, When your fathers tested Me; They tried Me, though they saw My work." Psalm 95:1, 6-9 NKJV

 

Friday’s Feast at the King’s Table

Grandgirl Julia’s birthday is next Monday. Her favorite recipe is a cookie that is a long-time family favorite. When I was growing up, my sister, Shirley, and I spent a lot of time in the kitchen baking and we would often make these cookies. It seems like a lot of sugar—but it makes a lot of cookies.

 

Shirley’s Snickerdoodles 8-10 dozen

3     cups sugar

1     cup butter or margarine, softened

1     cup shortening or coconut oil

4     eggs

5 ½ cups unbleached flour

4     teaspoons cream of tartar

2     teaspoon baking soda

½    teaspoon salt

2     Tablespoon sugar

2     teaspoons ground cinnamon

 

Mix shortening, butter, sugar and add eggs.

Mix dry ingredients and then add to the butter mixture.

Chill the dough for a couple of hours or overnight.

Roll into small balls and dip into cinnamon & sugar mixture.

 

Bake at 400 degrees for 8-10 minutes. These are soft and puffed up when taken out of the over, but they flatten out with crinkly tops. Enjoy!

 

© 2024 Text, photos, and illustrations by Mickey M. Hunacek. All rights reserved. 

All scripture quoted from the New King James Version (NKJV) unless otherwise noted. 

New King James Version © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Harper Collins Publisher. All rights reserved. Used by permission.

New Living Translation (NLT) copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation. 

Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Biblical search from Blue Letter Bible - http://v3.blueletterbible.org/search.cfm. 

 

 

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